Shloka 27

ब्रह्माण्डदान-प्रशंसा तथा ब्रह्माण्ड-प्रमाण-वर्णनम्

Praise of the Gift of the Cosmic Egg and Description of the Brahmāṇḍa’s Measure

Devanagari script

नानाभूषणभूषासु मणयो यत्र सुप्रभाः । आह्लादकानि शुभ्राणि पातालं केन तत्समम्

Transliteration

nānābhūṣaṇabhūṣāsu maṇayo yatra suprabhāḥ | āhlādakāni śubhrāṇi pātālaṃ kena tatsamam

Translation

Adorned with many kinds of ornaments, there are gems there that shine with excellent radiance. Delightful and brilliantly white—what, indeed, could be comparable to that Pātāla, the nether realm?

Word by Word

• nānā-bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣāsu: in various ornament-decorations
• nānā-bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣāsu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nānā (अव्यय) + bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (भूषणस्य भूषा) + नानā- उपपद/विशेषणपूर्वपद

• maṇayaḥ: gems
• maṇayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक/देशवाचक (relative adverb: where)

• su-prabhāḥ: very radiant
• su-prabhāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + prabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (maṇayaḥ इति)

• āhlādakāni: delight-giving
• āhlādakāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āhlādaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (शुभ्राणि इत्यादि/वस्तूनि)

• śubhrāṇi: bright/white
• śubhrāṇi: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubhra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• pātālam: Pātāla (netherworld)
• pātālam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र प्रश्नवाक्ये प्रथमा (किंसमम्?)

• kena: with/by what
• kena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• tat-samam: equal to that
• tat-samam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तत्सदृशम्); विशेषणम् (pātālam)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, describing the marvels within Shiva Purana’s cosmology)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Purāṇic depiction of Pātāla as gem-illumined loka

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It highlights the extraordinary brilliance and pleasure available even in lower worlds, implying that sensory splendor exists throughout creation; from a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, such beauty is still within māyā and is not equal to the liberation attained through the grace of Pati (Shiva).

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

By portraying the peak of material magnificence, it indirectly points devotees toward Saguna Shiva worship (Linga-bhakti) as the means to transcend all lokas—heavenly or nether—and reach Shiva’s highest state through devotion and right understanding.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is vairāgya (discernment): contemplate that even dazzling realms are impermanent, and steady the mind with Panchakshara japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) along with Shaiva disciplines such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha, aiming for Shiva’s grace rather than worldly attainment.